ROTTEN TOMATOES: Presenting RT's Winter Movie Preview 2007!

Presenting RT's Winter Movie Preview 2007!

What are you willing to brace the cold for?

by Alex Vo | November 28, 2007

Winter is one volatile time for movies. In three short months, the industry transitions from releasing late-year award hopefuls to a torrent of genre flicks begging for an audience. But never fear: we've just released our Winter Movie Preview! It's a handy-dandy roadmap designed to help you steer clear of the duds and bumps littered throughout 2007's cinematic winter wonderland.

Movie receipts have been in a bit of a slump the past few weeks, but December looks to take the box office back. Films like The Golden Compass, Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem, and I Am Legend are anticipated major hitters, and they stand alongside more niche fare like Sweeney Todd and Juno, offerings whose sensibilities combine both the quirky and crowd-pleasing.

"Whew, no more Middle East war dramas for a while."

The first part of any new year is often considered a dumping ground for studios, but it doesn't take long before 2008 heats up: producer J.J. Abrams mysterious monster mash, Cloverfield, is out at last on January 18. And also populating January and February: Rambo, Michel Gondry (Be Kind Rewind), The Spiderwick Chronicles, and -- count 'em -- two Uwe Boll flicks (In the Name of the King and Postal).

So whatever you're looking for, it looks like these three months have got 'em. And you can read all about them in RT's Winter Movie Preview!

(1-20 of 21 posts) | Reply

Bardego writes:
on Nov 28 2007 01:08 PM

I hope that the box office prspects of The Golden Compass aren't hindered by the ignorant protests of religious groups. Let's judge the film on its merits first, shall we?

AVP-R looks leaps and bounds better than the first one, but that's not saying much. I highly doubt it will come even close to matching the excitement of Predator or the tension of Alien.

Now, why would I want to see I Am Legend? Oh yeah, the IMAX five minute-preview of The Dark Knight!

I'm normally not a fan of musicals, but Sweeney Todd intrigues me. Johnny Depp is a surprisingly capable singer, and I recently saw a clip of Sacha Baron Cohen singing...wow, he is DAMN good!

I loved Jason Reitman's Thank You For Smoking, so I'm glad that people are calling his new film a home run. Hopefully I'll catch it when it opens wide.

Cloverfield looks exciting, even though I have no idea what it's about. I guess that what makes the marketing campaign so ingenious, right?

Rambo. Wonderful, another opportunity for Sly Stallone to relive his glory days of back when he mattered. I suppose it could be a surprise, like Rocky Balboa, or one of those "so-bad-it's-good" flicks. What I find really funny are the trailers, especially when he prays right before brutally murdering several people. So according to Christianity, it's okay to slaughter in the name of god, but questioning the church? Unforgivable!

I never read The Spiderwick Chronicles, and the trailer doesn't do anything for me, so I think I'll skip it.

Uwe Boll, Uwe Boll, Uwe Boll. What can I say about him that hasn't already been said about Harold P. Warren?

(Reply to this)

jokerboy1991 writes:
on Nov 28 2007 01:14 PM

this winter is gonna be ausome. Sweeney Todd, Juno, There Will be Blood, and Atonement are gonna be great. I really hope I Am Legend and Charlie Wilson' War will be good. I'm not sure about the Golden Compas and AVP2. AVP was just so bad and the Golden Compas looks to much like Narnia.

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buttamack writes:
on Nov 28 2007 01:25 PM

I Am Legend is going to be Sick.... AVP-R actually looks decent (can't be worse than the first one)and Be Kind Rewind and Cloverfield aren't your typical January films!
Looks like a pretty good winter

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insanemansam5 writes:
on Nov 28 2007 01:55 PM

In reply to this comment (#1314333)
With Golden Compass I could be wrong but I get the feeling the studio is courting controversy. This seems to be a fad in hollywood recently films like Munich, Fahrenheit 9/11, The Passion of the Christ, and The Da Vinici Code all generated lots of buzz through controversy. I just can't help but thinking that this is eventually going to bite the studios in the a$$ and this looks like the project it might happen with. Regardless I'm still going to watch it.

I think the mistake the studios made is that they didn't take into account for the fact that unlike every film I listed the subject matter of the Golden Compass isn't already well known to people and somewhat topical. I think audiences will be more likely to shy away from controversial movies if they're not familiar with the topic than if they are already well versed in it.

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Bardego writes:
on Nov 28 2007 02:43 PM

Funny you should say that about The Golden Compass, jokerboy. The author of those books *hated* the Narnia series.

As for your comment, insanemansam, I can only say that a studio normally wouldn't invest $150 million in a movie unless they were hoping to get their money back, and you don't get your money back making a 100%-faithful adaptation of Pullman's novels. Chris Weitz has said many times that he is significantly toning down the religious aspects of the source material, and both Kidman and Craig have stated repeatedly that the film is not supposed to be offensive (Nicole Kidman is Catholic, BTW). If that's not trying to avoid controversey, I don't know what is.

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sfsilver writes:
on Nov 28 2007 03:34 PM

Are we really concerned that the friggin Catholic League's complaints are going to be heeded by the general public? Religious zealotry is so 2004. And as targets go the is the Golden Companss really the film that will destroy American children's belief in God? William Donohue needs to get a life.

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aknddon3 writes:
on Nov 28 2007 03:54 PM

What is the protest about?

P.S. I remember seeing an atheist group protesting Narnia because of its blatent Catholic overtones.

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rt_hire_me writes:
on Nov 28 2007 04:53 PM

Don't forget the hullabaloo over the Wickan (Wickem?) elements in the Potter books. I bought that load of bull, then the third film got me hooked and I enjoyed it all very very much. Dumbledore's gay? Doesn't even phaze me. Voldemort has a secret magazine stash under his bed? I have no problem with that.

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dracus writes:
on Nov 28 2007 05:12 PM

Interesting list. Looking forward to I Am Legend, Cloverfield, Sweeney Todd and Juno. As for The Golden Compass, it looks to me to be this year%u2019s Eragon; just another in a long line of over hyped Lord of the Rings wannabes.

(Reply to this)

dracus writes:
on Nov 28 2007 05:14 PM

Interesting list. Looking forward to I Am Legend, Cloverfield, Sweeney Todd and Juno. As for The Golden Compass, it looks to be this years Eragon; just another in a long line over hyped Lord of the Rings wannabes.

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Ashron writes:
on Nov 28 2007 06:04 PM

In reply to this comment (#1314861)
It's actually spelled Wiccan, just in case you were curious :-)

(Reply to this)

insanemansam5 writes:
on Nov 28 2007 06:05 PM

In reply to this comment (#1314523)
Well I could have been totally off base, I just have a hard time believing anyone really finds the book controversial that's all. If the studio was trying to drum up controversy, it would hardly be the first time a studio's down so. Granted the situation is different this time but that said controversy has been financially positive for films in the past so I don't see why it's outside of the realm of possibility that it could be again.

Also, what does narnia have to do with this?

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Ashron writes:
on Nov 28 2007 06:07 PM

In reply to this comment (#1314669)
Aknddon, the protest is basically the Catholics (mainly Catholics, but perhaps some others) saying that Pullman's books are nothing but atheistic propaganda that takes a particular delight in bashing the Catholic church. Personally I think the book's biggest sin (and I only read the first one) is that it just really wasn't that good. And what little bit, I've read about Pullman, he seems like a jerk, which makes me less inclined to read anything else of his. Although I have to say the movie look like it might actually be better than the book.

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aknddon3 writes:
on Nov 28 2007 10:41 PM

Yeah i guess supposedly in the last book they kill god so i now why they are protesting the book.

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Kimmycat24 writes:
on Nov 29 2007 06:08 AM

I am so looking forward to seeing Atonement. My relatives in the UK have been emailing me interview clips with the actors and stills from the movie. They won't tell me how it ends though! My sister-in-law warned me to bring a lot of Kleenex. The trailer is fantastic. I have been waitng for this movie for months. I am sure this movie will garner a lot of Oscar nominations. I am a big sci-fi and fantasy buff so I will probably go to see "The Golden Compass" and "I am Legend" too.

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TrisTan2007 writes:
on Nov 29 2007 07:11 AM

Oh crap, none of the movies interest me but "I am legend" and "Sweeny Todd". "I am legend" looked super cool until they showed those zombie like creature. I like zombies but I am just not ready for zombies in Will Smith movies yet, I guess. Sweeny Todd looks badass :D. I might not watch "Golden Compass", which of course looks good, but I will save it to watch it with my kids -- when I have kids -- that is, after I got married. haa! I am sure my life will end up buying DVD's when I have kids -- from toy story to golden compass. God bless me with couple of ten million bills ;).

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bethehero7404 writes:
on Nov 29 2007 07:30 AM

SWEENEY TODD will have a SLEEPY HOLLOW take to it. I see that one as being the film the finally gives Johnny Depp some awards. He deserves them after all this time. GOLDEN COMPASS should be named HARRY NARNIA AND THE ORDER OF THE LION, WITCH AND THE NATIONAL TREASURE. JUNO Look for the surprise to be NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

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wordweaver writes:
on Nov 29 2007 10:32 AM

GOLDEN COMPASS will kick MAJOR ***. I haven't seen a fantasy movie so exciting ever since Lords of the rings: The fellowship of the ring. When it comes out, I will be done with finals so I'll go with some friends, get popcorn, pop and have myself a ecstatic fantasy ride.

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Eat.Before.We.Eat.You writes:
on Nov 29 2007 01:00 PM

In reply to this comment (#1315687)
Akndonn3, does it occur to you that people who are reading the series, and may therefore be reading an article that talks about the movie, might appreciate a spoiler warning before something like that?

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Shompy writes:
on Nov 29 2007 01:43 PM

golden compass was favorite book when i was a kid. its everything narnia isn't... which means its damn good. it was nice to read something that wasn't so sanitary and "safe" and christian. it was the rare children's book that didn't insult the reader's intelligence. btw yes the third book would be much more controversial then this one.

(Reply to this)

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